Shift of Focus (Changes of mind)
by Firestorm808
Summary: It's been about a year since the end of TDRR. Since then, Cody continued school, still having no luck with girls. With senior year over and college approaching, he decided to focus more on his career than dating; however, he receives a message for a TD meet-up with contestants from all seasons. Story originally by kunashgi448, Translated and Edited by Firestorm808, Art by hielorei
1. It's Time for a Change

Originally written in Spanish by kunashgi448

Adapted and edited to English by Firestorm808

AN:

Hey, guys. I know that this isn't an update to my other stories, but they will be coming soon. In the meantime, this is another one of my side projects. I'm helping another author with his English translation. I got permission to post the new chapters on my account a few days after I send him the new ones.

If you want to read more of this story go to kunashgi448's profile.

If any of you have any thoughts, please leave it in a review.

* * *

Chapter 1: It's Time for a Change

It was a cold autumn day in Vancouver, as cloudy as always in the Canadian city. Within the local preparatory school was a downtrodden Cody who was famous for participating in two seasons of Total Drama. The program was eventually canceled due to the illegal actions committed by the former host, Chris. He, along with all those responsible for the program including Chef, was arrested. However, Chef, an old military man was released on probation by proving that his actions were often forced by Chris and the producers. Also, some participants did not see him as a bad guy, including Cody. The producers tried to resurrect the program with an all-new host. "The Ridonculous Race" was the latest season of Total Drama.

A year ago since its end, Cody had not seen anyone of the cast, including Sierra who no longer haunted him since a long time ago. He communicated with no one else except for Noah and Trent through the internet under false names due to the problems of being famous. Finally free of the show, Cody had time for himself. Not only was he able to get his teeth straightened but also found time for music again since the Drama Brothers broke up.

He went back to high school to finish his senior year where he was one of the best in computer science, even getting a scholarship to the University of San Francisco. Here, he could achieve his dream of becoming a successful programmer, but he felt that he was still missing something, a girlfriend.

Present

Today was another failed attempt to make a connection with a girl. He was either rejected or placed in the friend zone. He really didn't understand why. "Another day of failure, but at least school is over," murmured a defeated Cody who was trying to cheer up. The good news is that he would have five months of vacation to rest, relax, and prepare for University. He could use some private time to think about his issues. Cody declined to go with his group of friends to the center of the city. Minutes passed as Cody arrived at the park, taking the road to enter the forest.

As he walked, he contemplated his thoughts. 'I've been spending too much time in trying to meet a girl.' Gwen was a clear example of his behavior. He was only focused on a relationship that would never be more than friends. Since his start on TDI, he ignored the prize money just to end up in a wheelchair thanks to a bear. While Cody was happy that Gwen found a healthy relationship with Trent, he still bided his time to be with Gwen. When they broke up during the second season, he thought that he had a shot. By the third season, Sierra came into the picture, and his heart was shattered when Gwen began dating Duncan instead of him. Gwen deserved someone better than that idiot. The only recent fortune was that Gwen finally broke up with Duncan.

'Now that I think about it, I was never honest and direct with women. I always put up this cool front whenever I talk.' Sierra was a headache to him the whole season of World Tour. There were so many problems that she accidentally caused to be with him, but she also helped him survive several times. 'If only she weren't so crazy and impulsive with every woman who dares to look at me. Maybe I would have given her an opportunity for a something serious. After her elimination from TD: All-Stars Cody changed all of his personal data for fear of her harassment without telling his family. He only said to that he would go to Vancouver to study. It wasn't just to avoid finding letters with messages of love and photos but to never see Sierra in person again. Since his change of information, what surprised him was that it had been months since the letters stopped coming to him. While that was a relief, he was hoping that nothing terrible happened to Sierra.

Cody now entered the part of the forest away from all sounds of the city. A small creek nearby gave off a relaxing ambiance with the flow of water. 'Here I am. Time to relax.' His clothes simply consisted of a black jacket with his classic jeans along with blue and browns shoes. He placed his hands behind his head and closed his eyes to think.

'The lives of others are equally problematic...' He went over what little information he obtained from Trent about some acquaintances and other participants that he had never met. Alejandro and Heather were still dating. Weirdly, they seemed right for each other. Dakota's father won a trial against the producers for them to pay for Dakota's and Ezekiel's recovery. Topher made a contract with a small TV station in Alberta to host a late-night show. Sadly, the most tragic news was of Mike. Cody knew that it was something serious, but he didn't get the exact details. Mike was trying to save his girlfriend from a drunk driver, and he got hit. He's alive, but Cody hoped that nothing bad happened afterward. Knowing that Mike would give his life for his girlfriend, he earned all of Cody's respect despite not knowing him,

'Could it be true that true love comes when one least expects it? Maybe if I force a relationship, one will never come to me.' He didn't know what to think about the matter. He was already frustrated trying to imagine any method that a romantic guy would do. 'I guess it's time to set love life to the side and focus on his future?

'If this is what I should do, give me a sign, universe,' Cody thought without expecting anything. Suddenly, a noise from the bushes interrupted his rest. He started to notice his surroundings. Everything was dark, and the lights of the city were far away. How long was he there? Anyways, he had to go home soon to avoid getting lost in the dark or be attacked by a wild animal… again. As Cody got up, ready to go back, a white flash of light made him turn to his left. He spotted a small object. Curious, Cody carefully stepped between the various plants to get a better look. As he knelt down, he picked it up and concluded it to be a necklace with a yellow crystal pendant.

'Who would be so clueless as to leave something so valuable in the forest?' He shrugged. 'Well, since no one is around, I can't miss the opportunity take something so cool.'

When Cody flipped the pendant over, he saw a message recorded in italics: Focus on your life goals, and life will bring the happiness that your heart wants and deserves.

'Interesting... If this is the sign that I asked for, well…, I guess I have to pay attention.' He rolled up the right collar of his right sleeve and hit his fist to his chest. He decided to make a promise to himself. He whispered, "From now on, Codemeister no longer exists, only Cody Anderson, future programmer, and developer of video games and software. I will strive for my future rather than love." Once his small ritual was done, Cody kept the necklace in his pocket and started his return home. He silently came to his apartment building in the south part of the city. He soon climbed to his unit on the fifth floor, opened the door, and saw his messy room.

The only thing clean was his desk where he studied. The window was closed, and he only saw the rain. As he turned on his laptop, the wonderful world of the internet distracted him after a long hard day.

Before opening Youtube, he saw unread messages in the chat box. 'Maybe Noah's flaunting his courtship with his girlfriend Emma again.' Surprised, Cody almost stripped the soda can in his hand to see so many messages. He had 386 unread messages, and nearly all of them were from a group called "Total Drama Party" along with three from Trent.

He decided to start with Trent's chat thread. The first message was sent a week ago. During that time, he had many exams, so he abstained from the internet to not get distracted.

It read: Cody, I added you to the new group chat. We're having a party to meet with all of our friends from Total Drama. All the participants who competed in the program, even other generations, will come. Send us your confirmation.

The next message was sent two days ago.

Cody, you are the only one that's missing a confirmation. Even the Gothics said that they'll go. Once you see this, confirm it in the group, dude.

The last message was… 53 minutes ago.

CODY "THE GEEK" ANDERSON, THE YACHT DEPARTS AT 9:00 PM AT THE MAIN PORT, AFTER YOU READ THIS AND YOU WANT TO COME, RUN!

Cody looked at the computer clock. It read 8:34 PM. There would be a party, to see not only his best friends but others. He could meet more people from the show and make friends. He could also kill time relaxing before going to the United States to study. "Shit!" He closed the laptop and stored it in a blue backpack. He dumped out books and other school-related objects. He packed as many clothes he could fit in the backpack along with anything else important for the party. He looked back at the wall clock, reading 8:47 PM. "Fuck!" He closed his backpack and checked for his key. Reaching into his pocket, Cody felt the necklace and decided to wear it around his neck, hoping for good luck. He shut off the lights and ran out as quickly as possible. He may have forgotten the small detail that it was raining. Unfortunately, there was no time to go back for an umbrella. He would not be the only one absent from the only meet where there will not be any monetary award, any alliances, or any sadistic tests and humiliations. They were all there to relax. He ran as fast as he could. Thankfully, the port was close to his apartment. Upon arriving, he saw a large yacht begin to leave. Narrowing his eyes, Cody saw the unmistakable back of Owen enter inside.

He ran to the edge of the port as the boat began to pull away. "Hey! I'm here! Stop the yacht!" Cody screamed, but nobody could hear him. He frantically looked around for something to help him, and his eyes landed on stacks of crates that resembled stairs. "Oh yes!" Adrenaline in your body plus instinct equals a dumb and dangerous action. He ran as fast as possible before climbing to the boxes and giving a big jump. At that moment, everything seemed in slow down until he reached one of the metal poles on the rear of the yacht. With the full weight of his backpack, he climbed up and dropped with his arms outstretched on the floor, breathing in deeply as raindrops fell.

"What was that noise? Does the Captain not know how to drive... Cody?" Cody turned his head and saw that the voice came from Harold. Apparently, Cody's arrival attracted the attention of everyone inside. Harold offered a hand and helped a tired Cody up. Cody walked through the door and entered the room where everyone was looking at him. Personally, he never had so much attention.

"Uh… I made it… I'd never miss a meeting… with you guys," Coy shyly spoke.

"Dude, tell me how you got on the boat without falling into the ocean," asked Tyler as he threw Cody a towel.

"Well… I jumped from a few crates to grab onto one of the rods behind the boat. One more second and I would have fallen in and possibly die of hypothermia. Thankfully, I'm good. Tired, but good." He raised a thumb with a smile. Seeing his safety, all the passengers returned to their things.

"You were excited enough to make a stupid death jump. It's good to see you, Cody." Cody turned around to see his friend Trent.

"Same to you too, Trent." Both exchanged a quick hug with a firm handshake.

"I thought the last dangerous thing you would do was flee the lava in Hawaii, but that was crazy," stated the musician. Trent took a seat at a table and invited Noah over, but he was with his girlfriend and rejected the offer.

"I also thought that, but I wanted to relax a little before going to University. I bet the jump was worth it, but I need to know. Why the meeting?...Trent?" Cody saw that Trent looked hypnotized by something behind Cod. Using his finger, he followed Trent's line of sight to know what disconnected him from the world and found the answer, Katie. She was currently speaking with Sadie and a girl dressed in a gown. If his memory was not failing was, the princess was Ella.

"I see… It seems that someone has already fallen in love. She finally warmed up to you?" Cody's cheeky smile pulled Trent out of his trance. He now sported a nervous look.

"... I was not looking at Katie... I was looking at ... uh... the shrimp table… looks delicious".

"First, you hated seafood ever since Lindsay poisoned you with that pufferfish, and second, I never said that you were looking at Katie." Trent was caught. The poor guy was too shy to admit it.

Trent sighed and took a deep breath. "Okay... I admit it. I am a bit crazy for her. Ever since TDA, I got to know her as a sweet and sincere girl that I've been looking for. If anything, I have a goal to be her boyfriend before the meeting ends." For two men who both fell for Gwen in the past, they had finally moved on with their lives.

Cody gave his signature cheeky grin. "Don't worry about it. You have my full support. Just ask me for anything that you need. I want to see that smile you used to have with Gwen." Both of them reached for a drinking glass on their table. "Cheers!" they both exclaimed and touched their glasses.

It was now Trent's turn to ask. "So, who are you planning to pursue a relationship with? There are many awesome girls that you haven't met yet."

Cody shrugged. "To be honest, I'm not looking for a relationship right now." That response caused a strange silence between the two. He looked at Trent who, for some reason, was looking back at Cody as if he had two heads. Soon, he started to laugh, thinking what Cody said was a joke.

"Good joke, Cody. But really, I want to know. I really want to help you and return the favor you did for me on TDI. All of the girls are different." Trent looked back at Cody and was surprised to see the seriousness in his face. 'Is he really not joking,' Trent thought. "Who are you and where is the real Cody?"

Cody simply rolled his eyes at the question. 'Believe me. I surprise myself by saying that.' "Listen, I've been working like a slave for a university scholarship. Right now, I really need to concentrate on my education and not obsess over the first pretty girl that walks in front of me. When I heard about the meetup, I jumped at the chance to enjoy some time with friends who also suffered from Chris. I just want to relax and socialize. That's all."

"Wow. You left me surprised, dude, but if you want that, I'll support you." Suddenly, the sound of a microphone made caught everyone's attention to the center stage where Chef stood.

"First of all, I would like to thank all of you for coming. This is my way of thanking everyone for helping avoid jail time. I decided to use the money that the producers gave me to rent an island nearby with great weather for our big party. Even though the Ridonculous Race contestants did not suffer from Chris, they still dealt with Don and the producers. We couldn't leave them out. We will arrive at the island tomorrow. For now, all of you will share a room with whoever you want. Enjoy the trip!" With that announcement, Chef went to his room for the night. As soon as he left, the teens, the adults, and the 13-year-old boy started the pre-party.

Seeing a particular pair, Cody called out, "Look who came to visit us: the know-it-all and his lawyer girlfriend he drools over." Noah and Emma laughed at the mockery and walked over to Cody's table.

"Hilarious, guys. You have me wetting myself from laughing," said Noah with his signature sarcasm.

Emma placed a hand on Noah. "Oh, come on. Don't be so cold with your friends, dear. You were talking about them many times to me. Besides, you need to control your sarcasm in public."

"Sorry, sweetie. I'll try to control myself," Noah apologized. He was trying to ignore the looks from his friends that were containing the laughter from seeing him so domesticated.

"Hey, Emma." The group turned their heads to see Kitty, the younger sister of Emma, with a bag of candy. "You should try these candies. You can feel them explode in your mouth." She turned her attention to Cody and Trent. "Oh, Are you guys inviting people to the wedding?" At the question, Emma hit her in the head for Kitty to calm down.

"Nothing like that, sis. Noah was just introducing me to his friends from earlier Total Drama seasons."

"Trent Connor, a pleasure," he said holding out a hand.

"Hello. Cody Anderson." Cody held out a hand as well.

She shook hand before continuing. "Yup, I already know you two from the program. To recap, I'm Kitty, and the bitter one beside me is my big sister, Emma." She once again received a hit from her sister. "We should take a selfie to remember this moment!" she cheered in excitement. She reached into her purse for her light pink phone and held it in position, ready to take a picture.

"You don't know any other way to take a photo beside a selfie?" questioned Noah without a smile at the camera like Emma.

'They are so different' Cody thought while maintaining a smile for the camera. Strangely, the picture was not taken.

"Stupid phone. I don't understand why it's not working like before," complained Kitty. She began to check the internet for a solution.

A small light bulb lit int Trent's mind. "Cody knows a lot about technology. Maybe he can help you?" suggested Trent. Cody didn't have a problem with helping her, after all, it was his talent.

"Really? You can help me?" Kitty brightly asked.

"Of course. I'll do what I can. Will you let check the phone first?" Cody began the search of the problem with the supervision of its owner. "I see... The new phones are more problematic with the adjustments for the photos. We only have to change this...active rear camera with this...agree to the terms, and ready." Kitty took her cell phone, and she was gleaming at the changes. She could not only take photos but also had access to new features in the camera. She could add in filters, draw, and even add stickers. Cody was about to return to his seat when Kitty hugged him from behind.

"Thank you! Thank you so much, Cody! You just made my life even sweeter. Now I take more photos better than ever!"

The old Cody would have taken advantage to stay close to her, but he merely smiled at Kitty. "No problem. I think that pictures are a great way to hold onto the good times. I'm glad that you think the same. It wouldn't be right to let you lose that part of you if I could help. Especially for all of us who have gone through TD, life passes very quickly, and we should enjoy it however we see fit. Relax without any pressures. Right?" Cody didn't receive a response at first. He looked back at Kitty and saw that she was looking elsewhere with some color in her cheeks. 'Is it the weather?' "Hey, Kitty. Are you okay?"

"Yeah… It's just that… This is my first time hearing someone share the same point of view as me. Also, you have a charming smile." After that last sentence, she got a little uncomfortable. "Sorry. The photo can wait." She turned to the couple. "I kinda need to speak with my sister alone, Noah." Noah reluctantly nodded, and she turned back to Cody and Trent. "I'll see you guys tomorrow when we arrive at the island."

Emma took her sister who knows where. She was waiting for this moment to be on the other side. Now her little sister would suffer everything that she spent her fault in the program.

The guys didn't say anything until Trent hung both of his arms over Noah's and Cody's shoulders. "Maybe in the future, both of you end up as family members."

Noah scoffed. "Very funny musician. Now, if you excuse me, I have to go to the gas chamber that is my room." It was easy to understand that Noah roomed with Owen. The big guy was eating all kinds of spicy foods. If anyone is accustomed to Owen's smell, it's Noah.

As Noah walked away, Trent shrugged. "Poor Noah, it makes me sad for him." He turned his attention to Cody. "You, on the other hand, got lucky. You already scored some points with Kitty."

Cody rolled his eyes. "I'll be honest. Kitty really cute and really sweet, but I told you before, I don't want to deal with relationships right now." He let out a soft sigh. "Besides, it was probably only a compliment for helping her with her phone." 'Why would she like me anyways…' Shaking his head from those thoughts, Cody left to talk with more people. What the Geek did not know was that this would only be the beginning of situations that would make his vacation more interesting than he anticipated.

* * *

If any of you have any thoughts, please leave it in a review.


	2. We are Friends

Originally written in Spanish by kunashgi448

Adapted and edited to English by Firestorm808

AN:

Hey, guys. I know that this isn't an update to my other stories, but they will be coming soon.

The next Death Battle will be coming soon.

In the meantime, this is another one of my side projects. I'm helping another author with his English translation. I got permission to post the new chapters on my account a few days after I send him the new ones.

If you want to read more of this story go to kunashgi448's profile and look for "I have a harem, wait, really?." Be warned. The grammar is cringy.

If any of you have any thoughts, please leave it in a review.

* * *

Chapter 2: We are Friends

Cody moved back and forth in his small bed trying to sleep, but it was useless. His biological clock woke him at five in the morning, and he couldn't go back to sleep. It became a habit for him when trying not to be late to school. He was on vacation now, and he just wanted to sleep in. Trent's snoring did not help at all.

Wearing only black pants and a short-sleeved shirt gray with socks, Cody went outside to breathe some fresh air. As Cody gazed up, the stars combined with the autumn breeze made the atmosphere very relaxing. Leaning against the railing at the front of the yacht while also admiring the view of the sea, Cody took his phone out to review some of the programs he worked on. During his free time, Cody would code basic computer systems. While it may sound like work, he found it quite relaxing since he could apply his creativity. Due to exam week, Cody didn't spend much time on his personal projects. At the moment, he was so absorbed in the work that he flinched when he heard someone's voice behind him.

"It seems that I'm not the only one who can't sleep," the voice stated.

Cody turned around to see Courtney in her pink pajamas with a tablet in hand. She gave off a questioning expression, so Cody began to explain. "Sorry. I still have the habit of waking up early for school. My body isn't used to sleeping in yet."

Courtney gave him a sympathetic smile while typing on her tablet. "Same for me. Law school is much harder than I thought it would be. I stayed up many times trying to finish assignments." She cocked her head at Cody's previous statement before continuing. "I didn't know that you continued your studies after the show. What career are you working on?"

He internally shrugged because the information wouldn't hurt anybody. "I plan on being a software and game developer. I just got a scholarship at the University of San Francisco, but now, I just want to relax before the stress of university starts." Courtney had Cody's full attention. Truth be told, he never really talked to Courtney that much before. The only time they were on the same team was in TDWT. Sadly, the relationship between Gwen and Duncan hindered any real conversation with her.

A small grin appeared on her face. "You've always been a tech nerd," she said lightly teasingly. "I still remember how you won our team the commercial challenge in Japan. It's hard to believe that you were able to pull it off with only Sierra, a lot of trash." Her expression began to shrink at the memory because she wasn't useful at all in the challenge.

Cody thought back to that day. He had never edited video and coded animation so fast in his life. Cody was practically smoking from the pressure at the time. He chuckled at the memory. "Yeah… It was nice when our team finally got along at times." Her expression shrank slightly again. Cody noticed the small change and tried to change that. "You know, It's funny. Even with all our problems, we were actually the best team that season." She seemed to perk up a bit. "Listen, I know that we had our difficulties during the show, but that's all behind us now. Both of us are working toward our degrees. Our lives so far may have been difficult, but, after everything, we tend to be better people because of it." To be honest, Cody didn't even know where those words came from. Perhaps he was still half asleep, so he was more willing to speak freely.

Courtney looked back at him with surprise. Cody's nervousness from the look lessened as her expression soon softened to a more appreciative one. "What do you know? I guess you really have changed a lot, Cody." She liked his new outlook, but she was still curious about the change. "If I remember correctly from season one, you were more focused on the "ladies" rather than the actual game."

"Yeah…" Cody reddened in embarrassment while rubbing the back of his neck. "Can you blame me for being a stereotypical teen male at the time?"

She laughed and projected a smirk. "You know, I rewatched season one before we went onto season two. You were not helping yourself in the relationship department.

He held his hands up in mock defense "I'll be honest. Not my proudest moment… including the moments in later seasons..."

She chuckled at his reply. "Well, I'm glad to see that you gained some common sense since then."

He rolled his eyes but smiled. He rarely got compliments from Courtney, so he took light insult part in stride. "I'd be insane to do the same thing over and over and expect a different result."

She grinned. "Unless you're Izzy. She would get it to work no matter the odds against her." They shared a laugh in the empty night.

"Anyways, you're not wrong about the change, Courtney." Cody had a serious look but with a smile on his face, seeing the ocean. "During my entire time on the show, I was mostly focused on getting a girlfriend, but that's not what affected me the most. I made so many good friends like Owen, Trent, Justin, Beth, and Noah. I wasn't popular at the start of all this, and it's still sorta the same. That didn't matter because of all the great times we had together. I became part of a boy band, and we traveled the globe. Not everyone has a chance to do that. Nobody does great things alone. I have friends to laugh with and help me get up if I fall over, and I've fallen over a lot." He chuckled. "I guess that's why I try to be friendly with you all. I hope for fond memories with you guys."

Courtney let out an agreeing sigh as she too gazed toward the open sea. "It's easy for you, I suppose. I don't have many friends back home… or here…. and you get along well with everyone else. Alejandro tricked me during the WT, and Duncan was a passing phase, I guess. Scott was a decent guy, but that ship sank when Mal came. Not only that, but I destroyed my friendship with Gwen… again... because I wanted to win. I'm really not helping myself in that regard. On my first episode, I chickened out on the dive made a lousy leader of myself. I plan on being a lawyer, and that means communicating with people. I can even hold onto a friendship for a month without thinking for myself." She sighed once more, her smile disappearing. "In a way… I'm kinda jealous of you Cody." Courtney slumped down against the boat railing. She wore a much more sad expression than before.

Cody looked at her with concern as he thought about how much the program had changed her .so much, she was sent to the boat of losers because of Harold. Her relationship with Duncan was strained through WT. She was used by Alejandro. It didn't help her pride when she was flushed down a giant toilet.

In a way, Courtney felt so alone and isolated from the world. Any further depressing thoughts were cut off by Cody grabbing her hand in a firm grip.

"Listen, I know things haven't gotten so well for you these past few years. You need to come to terms that it is just that, the past. You just admitted not five minutes ago that you knew your mistakes. Look at me. I was feeling just like you this week until I was reminded about the trip here. I'm able to reconnect with them. You are able to reconnect with them. It's still not too late to make something positive out of this trip. For one, I highly recommend that you speak with Gwen. I'm sure that if you're sincere just like how you are now with me, you guys can get back on friendly terms. Hell, even if she doesn't forgive you, for what it's worth, I still consider you a friend. I'll still be there for you no matter what you said to me in the past." Courtney was about to say something when she was cut off. "I don't hold a grudge against you. I understand that you have a much more formal upbringing. Come on, show me the friendly but straight Courtney that was there on the dock of season one." He received a smile back that he couldn't help but return as well.

Courtney had looked away from him halfway through his words. She felt embarrassed that she was so easily read by him. When she looked back to reply, she was cut off. Courtney blinked a bit looking at the guy before her. She could see the sincerity and conviction in his tone and posture. In a way, this was not the same Cody. While he held onto those little quirks that made him up, her respect for him grew because of his ethics. She smiled at him as an answer and unknowingly grazed her thumb against his hand back and forth. 'You know, in this moonlight, he actually looks a bit cute…' Her mind paused while her face produced a small blush on her cheeks. She was thankful that the lack of light helped her hide it. A vibration was heard, and she saw Cody pull out his cell phone.

Cody let out a breath. "I have to go. I need to change my clothes for breakfast and when we get to the island. I hope you feel better, and I'll see you later, Court." Cody left between the halls of the yacht and Courtney was left with her thoughts.

Her soft smile continued. 'Definitely.' She would look forward to talking with him again. Things felt more at ease. ' "I'll be there for you." ' This time, however, she let the thought flow in her mind. She blushed again but paid it no mind.

After his talk with Courtney, Cody left to change to his regular clothes and went to have breakfast with Trent and Noah. As they were eating, Noah explained that Emma had to spend quality time with her sister and talk about family issues. When everyone on board finished breakfast, Chef asked everyone to come onto the deck and see the island.

To say that everyone was surprised would be an understatement. Cody's jaw dropped upon seeing it. It was twice as large as the loser resort. Inland, he could see a giant mansion with a swimming pool and bar inside. On the beach near the dock, tanning chairs and a buffet with everything that you could eat line the area. Surrounding all of that was a luscious forest. The place was a combination of a camp and a five-star deluxe hotel.

"I'm glad you all like the accommodations." Chef grinned. "Welcome to the Ikoewa Island, a five-star resort and a private island. It's practically the most expensive in all of Canada. Lucky for us, we get to stay here for ten days. There's a single room for each and every one of you. People can share rooms, but as a side note to any couples here who want to demonstrate their love, keep it down. Finally, don't destroy the place and enjoy everything you like. If you need me, which I doubt, I'll be in the small cottage on the edge of the beach."

After Chef's little speech, all the passengers went to the entrance of the mansion which seemed like a king's royal palace.

"Can't you feel the royalty and luxury, Katie? " said Trent trying to start a conversation while Sadie was talking to Lindsay.

"Yes! I feel like I'm in a fairy tale. The only thing missing is my prince to live happily ever after with me."

"Glad to hear that you like it." He looked away for a bit. "How about we get a drink at the bar once we settle in our rooms?" Trent asked trying to hide his nervousness. When he looked bat at her for her reply, he was relieved to see her nodding and smiling.

"Sure, Trent. I'll see you in an hour at the pool." She left for her room along with Sadie and Lindsey.

With that settled, walked to the others in the main hall. He rolled his eyes when he saw Cody raising both thumbs to congratulate him.

Soon, they all began moving toward their rooms. Noah was helping Emma with her luggage along with Kitty. When Cody caught up with them to talk to Noah, Kitty was a bit nervous to be around him, so she decided to hurry to her room.

When Cody saw Kitty's reaction to his arrival, he was a bit confused. 'Was it something I said before?' He decided to shrug it off, thinking that Kitty would explain it later. Just as he was about to climb up the stairs, he stepped on something. Moving his foot, he saw a pink bracelet with a big "S" where pearls joined. 'I have a strange knack of finding jewelry…' He was pretty sure that it belonged to one of the other guests, so he decided to hold onto it for now until he found the owner. Making his way up the stairs, he soon found the room on the third floor. Opening the door to his suite, he could see that it was quite comfortable with a balcony overlooking the sea. Cody began to unpack a few things from his backpack.

The first day went by fast. He met many people like Devin and his girlfriend, Carrie. He made friends with Cameron who was also great with programming. Cody remembered that he made an entire mech suit in his finale. There was even a reunion of The Drama Brothers with Trent, Harold, and Justin. With a little help from Tyler, DJ, and Spud, the group also performed a quick concert to brighten the party.

Later on in the day, he came to a secluded area on the beach. He took a chair and stared out at the setting sun. He closed his eyes to absorb it all. 'This is what I needed: the smell of the sea, the feel of the breeze, and the sound of crying with the gulls… Wait… What?' He opened his eyes and owlishly blinked at that last thought. He stood up and tried to find the source of the crying. It didn't take long as he soon found the crying girl hiding in the tree didn't need to think about approaching her. He slowly made his way to the girl. The girl was blond with green eyes aqueous. She was wearing a red blouse that showed her navel, a skirt of the same color, and white stockings. She was leaning against a palm tree with her head on her knees. He had to be careful with these types of situations. While the girl was caught up in her tears, Cody slipped by and sat against a nearby tree, and he started crying.

Samantha kind of wanted to be left alone. She didn't really want to have anyone see her like this. Her thoughts and crying were soon caught off guard by another person crying… right next to her. She jumped a bit with a yelp at the person's sudden appearance. After about 20 seconds of the girl still crying, she thought it was safe to say something. "Um… Hey…"

Cody looked up from his fake crying and wiped his face on his shoulder. "Hey…"

Considering that she was crying not a minute ago, she asked, "Uh… Why were you crying?"

A small smile appeared on his face before he replied. "Sorry. I learned that crying while someone else is crying helps. I heard you while I was on the beach, and I thought I could help."

When he said that, she let out a small chuckle before she sighed back into her depressed state. "Well… I guess it worked… at least a little bit. You're... Cody. Right? From season one and World Tour?"

"Yup. That's me. How about you?" He took another look at the girl and recognized the red uniform. "You're Sammy. Right?"

Samantha blinked a bit at someone remembering her name preference. She coughed to hide her fluster. "That's me. My real name's Samantha, but I prefer Sammy. I was in Pahkitew Island."

"Well, It's nice to meet you, Sammy."

She smiled at him. "It's nice to meet you too, Cody." She slumped back down against her tree, and Cody did the same.

They sat there for a while until Cody broke the silence. "So… You want to talk about what happened before I came here?"

She cleaned her face of any dry tears and put on a false smile. "No… It's nothing, I'm fine, I just had sand in the eyes." She leans her head on her knees, hoping the lousy lie worked.

Cody already knew that was a lie and rolled his eyes. "That is a horrible lie, and I've been on the same team as Heather."

That brought a chuckle out of her, enough to look back at him. When she looked back, she got a better impression of him. He seemed relaxed against the tree, but she could see the glint of concern in his eyes. He gave a sincere vibe. 'He's not going to let this go is he?' She sighed resignedly. "If you remember from the show, I have a twin sister, Amy." Cody nodded. "We don't have the best relationship with each other. Even since the show, she still bothers me. In a way, she is still trying to make me the "inferior" twin. I'm able to defend myself now thanks to Jasmine, but she keeps trying to humiliate when we meet new people." She sighed once more before she looked at Cody's reaction. He was sitting up and at full attention to her story. She looked back to the ground. "Since I was younger, I was always a solitary person compared to Amy. I guess in a way, that's why I signed up for Total Drama. I wanted a chance to meet people and get some distance between Amy and me. Then, Amy saw me filming my audition tape. She likely joined too just to annoy me. If you watched the show, you know how things went." She was still torn about her experience on the show.

On the one hand, Sammy is finally independent of Amy. On the other hand, the sisters were farther apart than ever. She looked back up and Cody and was relieved that she wasn't alone.

Cody could understand her experience before the show. He began in a soft and gentle tone. "I understand what you're going through, at least a bit. I also signed up to be more social. To be honest, my parents sent most of their time working while I was at home. After watching TV and stuff, I got caught up in the fantasy that if I were famous, maybe I wouldn't be alone as much." In a much softer tone that Sammy didn't hear, he whispered, "Maybe I wouldn't hurt as much." He took a breath and continued. "If there's anything you need to hear from me, it's this: Don't let her win. Your sister is just trying to tear you down to make her look good in comparison. If you stand firm or turn the tables on her, people will start to see the real you, not the false one Amy tries to show." He chuckled. "If you want, we can prank her to teach a lesson."

After hearing all of that, Sammy looked at him surprised. The only thing that connected them was the show, yet the former competitor was giving her some hope. She tilted her head down to hide the small smile on her face. "Thanks, but it's not only that. While I was trying to get away from Amy, I lost my bracelet. I tried to look for it, but it wasn't anywhere." She groans. "It means too much to me. It was one of the few gifts my mom gave me before Amy pushed me into the background." As she was feeling the emptiness on her wrist, she starts crying again.

As soon as Cody heard her mention the bracelet, he reached into his pocket. He pulled out the object, and the coincidences lined up. The color and insignia meant that this had to be her bracelet. 'I wonder who owns the one I found in the forest.' He walked over to Sammy and held it out. "Hey, I found this back in the hallway, and it seemed important. Is this yours?"

She opens her eyes to see the bracelet she was crying over. She practically snatched it out of Cody's hand to look at it closer. 'This really is my bracelet.' She couldn't help but smile as she held it against her chest.

Cody was relieved that she seemed much happier now.

"Thank you. Thank you so much, Cody."

"Hey, don't worry about it. I wouldn't be me if I-." Cody was cut off when the girl launched at him tightening her hug around him, giving thanks, several times. Cody smiled as he bobbed his head up and down as an answer to the many thanks. One part of his mind found the situation a bit awkward, but another part of his head liked the comfort that she gave. 'I can feel her curves…' It was after a few moments that they finally separated.

"Again, thank you very much."

"Like I said. Don't mention it. We're friends. Aren't we?"

She chuckled again and raised a brow. "Two people who just met each other no longer than thirty minutes ago." "Of course we are!" she exclaimed. "I would love to be friends." A mischievous grin grew. "Besides, you still have to help me prank my sister."

The wind blew gently through their hair.

Cody let out a smirk. "Of course, I already have some ideas planned thanks to my time on the island." Cody noticed the color of the sky and checked his watch. "Well, I have to meet with my friends at the pool soon. Are you gonna be okay?"

Sammy rolled her eyes and rubbed her thumb against her reclaimed bracelet. "I'll be fine. I'll see you later." Just as Cody was about to leave, she continued. "But before that…" She pulled him closer by the arm.

Cody felt her hand on his shoulder and a warm touch on his cheek. Cody had a little blush while Sammy was bright as a tomato.

"Thanks again for cheering me up." She ran in the opposite way of the hotel in a mix of fluster and embarrassment.

'Wow…' Cody definitely wanted to see Sammy again. 'I am going to prank Amy so hard. She will not ruin this for me.' He blinked. "Huh… Never had a girl kiss me on the cheek before... other than Sierra of course." 'I can't look too deep into this… for now. For all I know it was just a sign of gratitude. Now that I think about it, where is Sierra? I haven't seen her since in forever. Did she even come? If she did, she would have jumped onto me while screaming my name' Suddenly, he felt a presence behind a tree. When he investigated, he didn't see anything. 'Maybe I should go back to my room because I might be hallucinating.' He made his way back to the resort without knowing that someone really was watching him.


	3. A Walk in the Forest

Originally written in Spanish by kunashgi448

Adapted and edited to English by Firestorm808

AN:

Hey, guys. I know that this isn't an update to my other stories, but they will be coming soon.

The next Death Battle and Ben 10 will be coming soon.

In the meantime, this is another one of my side projects. I'm helping another author with his English translation. I got permission to post the new chapters on my account a few days after I send him the new ones.

* * *

Chapter 3: A Walk in the Forest

After leaving the beach, Cody went to his room with a somewhat uncomfortable feeling. He felt that something or someone was watching him. 'Maybe it's just in my head... Anyways, I really should spend more time relaxing than worrying. I'm on an island resort for God's sake.' He closed the curtains to secure his privacy in the room. Placing the computer on the table, he started to play online with other friends he had in League of Legends. With headphones on, he played a few matches, worked on his personal programs that were still in development, and listened to some music. Time passed, and he grew quite tired. It wasn't until he decided to take a nap and turn off the computer that he became surprised. When he opened the curtains to get the cool night breeze, he was greeted by the sun rising over the horizon.

"I can't believe that I was awake all night without noticing? Whoa, I might need to disconnect a bit." It was still early in the morning, so he had enough time for a quick nap before doing his morning routine. Two hours later, he washed up and got a change of clothes. He went out to do a little run in the forest. After all, moderate exercise helps relieve stress. It wasn't until he reached about half a mile into the woods that he could drown out the screams of the race between Jo and Brick, even with his headphones on. People didn't have to be a genius to know those two would end up together in one way or another.

Unfortunately, the peaceful sounds of the forests were soon interrupted by another conversation. "Please, leave alone, Sky," Cody heard a male voice ask. Out of curiosity, Cody decided to listen in.

"Dave, please stop being like that. I already apologized to you. I know what I did that season was wrong, and I'm trying to make up for it. I even broke up with Keith and came on this trip to see you again." The girl didn't sound angry. In fact, she sounded more pleading. Upon closer inspection, she seemed to be Native American with an athletic build. The most striking things about her were her red feather earnings and her short black hair.

The other guy, possibly Indian, mirrored the amount of distress back. "I know, Sky. I've heard you this entire time. It's just that things have changed so much since I first met you." His face grew more solemn. With a deep breath, he sat and slumped on a nearby rock.

"Dave..." Sky slowly moved toward him and took a seat beside him. Silence filled the scene for a while before she spoke up again. "We... We really can't start over. Can we?"

Dave slowly nodded. "I'll be honest, Sky. What I felt isn't something that I can quickly move on from.

She became more downcast. "A lot happened on Pahkitew Island..."

"Yeah..." He stared back at the clouds. "I can't help but think that I pulled a Cody."

Cody who was watching from the tree line nearly tripped at how he was referenced.

Sky gave Dave a confused look.

"Oh, yeah. You didn't watch season one." Dave continued. "Well, in layman's terms, I was lovesick."

Cody couldn't find it in him to deny that description. His fixation on Gwen at the time was just wrong, and it continued on to season three.

Sky nodded at Dave to continue.

Dave put a hand on his face. "I was trying so hard to impress you that I lost sight of everything else. When I got rejected by you, it felt like my entire world shattered." Sky frowned at the memory. "You remember what happened next. As stupid as it sounds, I just lost the will to continue playing in the game. I wanted to be eliminated afterward."

"I know... Before the finale, I tried to cope. You know about my anxiety issues." She nodded. "Well... you know how that went. The resentment I had for you built up, and I just let it all out during the finale. At the time you kissed me and talked, I really did believe that you liked me back, but when I learned about Kieth, I... I just snapped."

Sky couldn't help but feel remorse.

Dave continued. "Figuratively speaking, the little light of hope in the veil of my own self-doubt was snuffed out."

Sky slumped after being reminded again. "The show... changed us. Just like everyone before us, it brought out the worst in us that only cared about ourselves."

He sighed and continued. "All of you guys just left me on that island to get mauled by the robot-bear... I was never better than you guys..."

Sky gave him a look for an explanation on that last part.

"I watched the show before I sent in my audition. I really thought that I could do better than the seniors. I thought that I was normal. I called the other contestants freaks. What I said about Ella..." He shook his head. "It only proved that I was just as bad as anyone else. She was a bit... eccentric, but at least she was sincere about herself. I used her like you used me."

She placed a hand on his shoulder. "We both did things that we're not proud of... I didn't exactly leave a good impression when the show ended. Some people at my school still hold it against me..."

He removed the hand from his shoulder and held it with care. "I don't hate you, Sky. I'm too tired to feel angry. Now, I'm just disappointed."

"I want to make things right with you, Dave. I really do care about you."

"I still care about you too, but with what happened, I need time. I don't think I'm ready for a relationship right now. If you really do care about me, you'll understand."

Sky wasn't sure on what to say.

At this point, Cody decided to step in. He soon walked into their field of vision, surprising the two. "Sorry for eavesdropping, but I couldn't help but want to offer my opinion on the matter.

"Who are you?" asked Sky.

Before Cody could answer, Dave spoke. "He's Cody. The alumni cast member I mentioned before." Dave turned to Cody. "What are you doing here?"

Cody rubbed the back of his neck. "My full name is Cody Anderson, but you guys can call me Cody. Anyways, I was on a morning jog, and I overheard your conversation. I wanted to help."

Dave blinked. "Well, I'm Dave, and she's Sky. We were on Pahkitew do you want to help us?"

Sky nodded "Yeah?"

Understanding their concern, he answered rather embarrassingly. "Well, we bear attack survivors have to stick together."

This surprised Sky. "You got attacked by a bear too?" Dave stayed silent but at attention.

Cody nodded. "Yup. The first season, and on the same day, I got eliminated. Anyways, I want to give you guys some advice from what I've heard."

Sky looked to Dave and said, "It'll be good to have a trusted outside opinion." A bit hesitant, Dave agreed.

"First off, I understand where Dave is coming from. I was head over heels with my co-star Gwen for a long time. I was understanding enough when she started dating Trent because he seemed like a good guy. When she was single again during World Tour, I really thought I had a shot with her. When I found out about her secret relationship with Duncan of all people. I just lost it for a while. After the show, I finished high school, and I'm currently in college. I had some time to improve myself such as my hobbies and my braces. Things felt better, so I understand why Dave needs some time to sort himself out."

Sky and Dave blinked at the rather good advice. "Dave, is this really what you want?"

Dave solemnly nodded and held her hand with care as he looked into her eyes. "I really like you, Sky, but right now, I need time to get my life back together. Everything is so confusing. Like I said, if you really want to be with me, you'll understand."

"If that's what it takes, I'm willing to wait," she replied.

"It'll likely take me a few months or a year at most, so I don't want you to be held back by me."

She blinked in confusion. "I don't understand."

"What I mean is that I want you to still be open to meeting new people. It would be selfish of me to keep you on the edge of when I'll be ready."

"But, what if I find someone else?"

Dave grasped her hand softly. "Then I hope you'll be happy anyways."

Cody smiled at the two. "I'm glad you guys could work this out. In any case, we should get back to enjoying our vacation here.

Once they reached the camp, twenty minutes have passed. Dave had to go talk to some other friends, leaving Sky and Cody on their own.

It started to get awkward, so Cody tried to start a conversation. "So... Tell me about yourself. I haven't watched the latest seasons after World Tour."

Sky smiled and replied. "Well, I'm actually a National Athlete. One of the reasons I joined the show was to get some physical practice, meet some friends, and earn money to help further my career."

Cody smiled. "That's really ambitious of you. Your parents must be proud."

"Yeah, they have really high expectations for me. It sometimes gets overwhelming," Sky replied a bit downcast.

Noticing this, Cody spoke. "Hey, that's what parents do. They want what's best for you. You enjoy what you do. Right?"

"I've been doing it since I was young, and it's a huge passion for me."

"Hold onto that feeling. If things ever get rough, just take your time. I'm sure others will understand. I'm sure you'll do great."

She blushed a bit at the compliment to her skill and goal. "Thanks." Her phone rang, and she received a text from Jasmine. She turned back to Cody. "My friends invited me to go jet skiing. You want to join us?"

"Thanks, but I still have some stuff to do. If anything, I'll see you guys later." They exchanged numbers before parting ways. 'She seemed nice.' It took him another fifteen minutes to return to his jogging route and another twenty minutes to finish it. He could honestly say that he did pretty well, considering the time.

Suddenly, the bushes behind him started to rustle. 'Maybe some of the other guys had the same idea for a jog.' "You enjoying the forest?" he yelled out. A figure approached the clearing, and Cody's face paled. A huge brown bear was now standing on its hind legs right in front of him. Even with his recent growth spurt, the beast made him feel like an ant. He couldn't help but have flashbacks to his first mauling when he was dressed as a deer. 'I can't outrun a bear. I definitely can't fight it. Why didn't I look up bear safety tips after the mauling!? I'm screwed!'

By the time the bear crept up to him nearly a foot from his face, a voice had distracted the bear from Cody.

"Jerry, where are you?! We were supposed to be looking for food together." She came upon the clearing that they were at as was a bit shocked at the scene in front of her. "Mr. Bear! It's rude to scare someone you just met." Her request made the bear calm down.

'How on Earth did she do that?' Cody finally got a good look at her. She was a young blond girl with pale skin. She also wore a green sweater over a blue garment and a black skirt with purple stockings that covered her legs.

She continued to scold the bear. "I know that they are technically on your territory, but I told you several times to not hurt them. They don't know any better. That's a bad Jerry. Go back to the cave and think about what I said. I'll bring you some fruit and berries when I'm done here."

The bear with low head left through the bushes and the tree line.

Cody sighs loudly. 'Oh, thank God that's over.' He was about to thank the girl, but he saw no one there. He was confused. 'Wasn't she just there? Where'd she-" Hs thoughts we cut off when he turned around seeing her right in front of him. He grew nervous at the strange look that she was giving him.

Like a confused animal, she tilted her head to one side. "That's interesting. Your aura is quite nice."

"Um... thanks?" He had no idea what was going on. She must have been from a later season.

"The color is unique as well. Not many people have such a bright golden radiance. It's quite fitting for you, Cody."

Cody was about to reply back on the aura thing, but something else caught his attention. "Uh... I'm sorry, but how do you know my name? Have we met before?" 'Is she a fan of the Drama Brothers or Total Drama?' "Also... thanks for saving me from the bear. One bear mauling is enough for my lifetime."

"Oh, my apologies. I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Dawn. I regret your unfortunate history with nature, but there is nothing to be afraid of Jerry. They are very territorial and prefer to keep unknowns out. Also, the bees told me that you were talking to Sky and Dave."

He decided to ignore the bee thing. "Why didn't... Mr. Bear... threaten you?"

"Oh, he was intimidating at first, but we had a nice talk about honey and various tree. He's an excellent conversationalist when you get to know him."

"Wow, you can actually talk to animals. I've seen that sort of thing on TV but never in real life. I hope that I didn't leave a bad impression on him."

"Oh, no. You'll be fine. Jerry already knows your scent as friendly. I'm actually spending some time in the forest helping the wildlife adapt to our temporary presence."

Incidentally, she was saving other people from getting mauled by bears. "That's really nice of you."

"It's nothing really. I talk to nature quite often." She blinked. "Actually, are you lost? You're pretty far from the resort."

Just as Cody was about to say yes, he paused. He looked around and realized that he indeed was lost. "Uh... I'm gonna have to say yes," he said embarrassingly.

She showed no negative reaction. In fact, she smiled. "In that case, let me take you to the right path. Follow me."

The path back was long. Cody didn't think that the natural side of the island was so big. While the sound of the birds was nice, he felt awkward just walking there in silence. So, he tried to start something. "Hey. Dawn. When you first met me, you said that my aura was golden. That's a good thing. Right?"

She nodded. "Everyone has a general aura around them. They greatly reflect our personalities and intentions. For example, people with strong malevolent thoughts radiate a sickening aura. That's why some people get that uneasy feeling around strangers sometimes. In your case, it tells me that you are a positive and friendly person with a touch of youth by your addiction to candy".

Cody was amazed. The first two things could have been guessed, but the one about candy was the kicker. Hardly anyone knew about that or remembered from World Tour. "Whoa. You got that just by reading my aura. That's amazing! You're like a comic book character." Dawn's expression went to a smile, but it soon went somber. 'Good job, Cody. You made a girl sad with compliments.'

"While I truly appreciate my connection with mother earth and her animal children, some people don't have the same positive reaction that you do. My practices can come off as pagan, but modern media sometimes portray it as heresy or witchcraft. It didn't help that some of my teammate on the show saw me as weird or creepy. At least B understood enough at the time." She stopped walking to continue her thoughts. "After the show, I thought people would be more understanding, but some still saw me as a devil child. Before I came on this trip, a mother pulled her child away from me and called me a witch when I was helping him with the duck at the local pond."

At the end of her story, Cody placed a soft hand on her head. It was easy since she was shorter than him. Her blonde hair was softer than he thought it was. It was the sort of pat the cut her off from her rather depressing train of thought.

Her hair was somewhat out of place, but it fit her natural nature look. She didn't get upset, but she was confused by the action. "What was that for?"

"To get you to stop thinking that way. Not everyone is going to like you. I know that first hand. You shouldn't really care about what other people think. You and I both know that you're as innocent as..." He looked around and pointed at a flying object. "That butterfly over there."

She chuckled at the impromptu comparison.

"I was never the most popular guy at my school. If anything I hung out with the geeks and nerds at my school." He leaned against the nearby tree, and Dawn followed suit. "I'm honest enough to say that I was harassed and ostracized once in a while." He shook his head at the memories of running away from pissed off jocks.

"It's hard for people to accept things that are different from their worldview. Sometimes I think it would be better if I blended into the crowd like a wallflower."

"Perks of being a wallflower?" Good story, but not the message you want to follow. When I joined Total Drama, I tried to be something that I'm not, and it didn't work out well. The pressure from others can be hard, but that doesn't mean that you have to conform to them. If you aren't hurting others, you have the same right as anyone else to express themselves. Learn from my mistakes and be who you want to be."

"It's hard to make friends when some of them are wary of you from the start..."

"If that's the case, then they aren't real friends in the first place."

"Yeah..." She looked to the brown-haired young man. "Thanks for cheering me up, Cody." She paused before she continued. "Hey, I don't have many friends on the resort right now, but it would be nice if we could be friends. If you want..." Her voice fell silent in both shyness and embarrassment. She really hoped that the aura wasn't lying to her.

Cody did something that stumped her. He started laughing. She briefly frightened that she made a horrible mistake. It only lasted for a few seconds, but when he stopped, he made his signature cheeky grin. "Come on Dawn. You don't even have to ask. Of course, we're friends. In fact, I considered you a friend as soon as you helped me with Mr. Bear."

Her eyes slightly widened, and she smiled. "Splendid! I made a new friend!"

They continued to walk for a while until a robin appeared and tweeted into Dawn's ear. "What? Really?" The red bird soon flew away with grace. "Thanks, Vanessa!" said Dawn as she waved back.

"What did she say?"

"Here, this way." She grabbed his hand and pulled him through the brush.

It didn't take long until they reached the area. "Dawn, where are we..." He cut off his question at the sight of the freshwater lake. "Wow…"

It was a small but cozy body of water. Beams of sunlight pierced through the canopy and glistened across the surface. It looked perfect for swimming. In fact, Mr. Bear could be seen on the other side having fun. Without saying anything, Dawn took off her shirt and jumped into the water. Dawn smiled and laughed at Cody apparent blush. "Come on in!" she called to him.

He stood at the edge debating. "Uh..."

"Got you!" she shouted and pulled him into the water. She laughed for a bit before she saw Cody's head surface. With a flat stare, he spits out a long flow of water from his mouth.

She got worried that she messed up... again. "I'm sorry, Cody! I was so excited after Vanessa told me about the lake that I acted on impulse. I-" She was cut off b a large splash of water to her face. When she got her sight back, she clearly saw Cody laughing while entirely soaked. It didn't take long for her to start laughing too. In retaliation, she pushed Cody head down into the water and began to swim away.

Their fun would continue for a while. Even Jerry stopped by to join in. He must have come back from his cave, looking for Dawn. Who knew that a bear could perform a near perfect water routine? By the time they stopped, the sun was already high in the sky. It was time for them to leave. While they waited for their clothes to dry, they continued to talk to each other.

Dawn decided to teach Cody about meditation. Contrary to popular belief, meditation is a fairly broad term. The term meditation refers to a broad variety of practices that includes techniques designed to promote relaxation, build internal energy or life force (qi, ki, prana, etc.) and develop compassion, love, patience, generosity, and forgiveness. A particularly ambitious form of meditation aims at effortlessly sustained single-pointed concentration meant to enable its practitioner to enjoy a strong sense of well-being while engaging in any life was the perfect position for meditation, promise him to meditate together in another time.

It was a lot to take in, but Dawn was open to helping him practice.

Once their clothes dried, they finished the rest of the way back to the resort and were about to part ways.

Dawn smiled at the retreating form of Cody. "I'm glad that I got to meet you, Cody," whispered Dawn with a little blush on her pale cheeks. She didn't expect him to turn around.

"I'm sorry, Dawn. Did you say something?"

"Um... Nothing. I better get to my meditation and my other friends. I look forward to seeing you again very soon." she said with a smile.

"Don't worry about it, Dawn. If anything, I'm gonna get some food. You want-" He only looked away for a second only to realize that she was gone. 'Not again.' He looked around to try and find her. 'At this point, should I really be surprised?' The growl of his stomach brought the main problem back up. It was time to eat. "I'm sure she's fine. Time for that all you can eat buffet!" Cody jogged back to the hotel, hoping that the day would be good to him.

* * *

If any of you have any thoughts, please leave it in a review.


	4. Dousing the Flames

Originally written in Spanish by kunashgi448

Adapted and edited to English by Firestorm808

AN:

Hey, guys. I know that this isn't an update to my other stories, but they will be coming soon.

The next Death Battle and Ben 10 will be coming soon.

In the meantime, this is another one of my side projects. I'm helping another author with his English translation. I got permission to post the new chapters on my account a few days after I send him the new ones.

* * *

Chapter 4: Dousing the Flames

After everything that happened in the forest, it was time for a good meal. Even though he was still wet from the lake, Cody walked to the cafeteria. Filling his plate with meat and sweets, he browsed the room before sitting next to Noah who was reading a book as usual.

"Trent's over there." Neglecting the view away from his beloved book, Noah indicated a table behind them. Cody saw the musician talking with Katie and Sadie.

Noticing Cody, Trent secretly motions Cody's help. He needed Sadie to leave, so he could ask Katie out.

Rolling his eyes, Cody decides to help his friend out. "Noah," he says aloud offhandedly. "I can't believe that Justin is just standing outside with just a speedo. He really shouldn't be wearing that." that's what Cody said with signs and moving the mouth, Trent understood the plan and did it.

Hearing this, Sadie shot like a bullet to chase Justin. Katie wanted to be the wing-woman for Sadie, but ironically, Trent convinced Katie that Sadie could do it on her own. Thankfully, it worked, and Trent and Katie continued to talk.

"You're making it too easy for Trent," scoffed Noah.

"What can I say? He's my friend. Besides, not all of us has a perfect girlfriend." Even though he had a full plate, Cody started with his dessert. He couldn't help it. It's like a drug.

Noah smirked. "Speaking of girlfriends, Trent mentioned that you stopped chasing skirts."

Cody rolled his eyes. "Get to the point Noah. I want to eat."

"You can't be serious. I saw what happened between you and Kitty. She's a sweet girl, but I'll always have eyes for Emma. If anything, she suits you, and she's single." Noah kept an innocent smile.

Cody raised the hands in irritation. "We seriously just met yesterday. I'll be honest. She is cute and has a sweet personality. Would it be nice to be in a relationship with her? Most likely. However, from my experience over the years, imagining a relationship just based on a first encounter isn't healthy."

"Wouldn't that keep you from making any connection with a woman?"\

"I'm not saying that I won't try and make a connection with people. I'm just saying that I won't become obsessive over it. You saw how I was with Gwen."

The bookworm laughed. "Yeah, I remember that. I still can't believe you made a deal with Gwen for her bra."

Cody groaned. "Please, don't remind me. I'm still trying to live that down. Returning to high school after the show was not quiet for weeks."

Before Noah had a chance to make a snappy comeback, they head a scream of agony. "

Bridgette had kicked Geoff's kiwis. "What the hell, Geoff. I thought we went over this womanizer phase after Total Drama Action. Do you want to see other girls? Fine! We're over!" Bridgette stormed out of the room crying.

From what the others could guess, Geoff cheated on Bridgette with someone else on the island. Those who were close friends with her quickly glared at the party boy on the ground. Even though he was holding his nether region in pain, his eyes looked emptier than even. It was a minute before Duncan came by to get Geoff back up and snap him out of his stupor.

"Whoa. This place just got tense. It's time for me to leave. I'll see you later, Cody." Noah stood up and left.

Cody got up to follow him. He didn't want to get caught up in a possible beat down. He still hadn't finished his food. Thankfully, the next few hours were relatively uneventful. When he heard there was a convenience store in the island's hotel, he wanted to stop by. In his pursuit to make it to the boat on time, he had forgotten a few of his accessories. On his way to the suite, he passed a service closet when he heard muffled whimpers. Realizing where the sound was coming from, Cody slowly opens the door slowly and see Bridgette drying her tears with a towel.

Hearing the sound of the door, she grabbed the nearest object and proceeded to beat the intruder down.

Fortunately, one of the few good things about the show is that it helped his reflexes, and he dodged the first strike. Unfortunately, the show improved Bridgette's skill too. After about six hits and fruitless attempts to block the girl's tantrum, Cody spoke. "Ow! Quit it, Bridgette. Calm down! It's me, Cody."

Realizing his identity, she dropped the broom. "Close the door!" she commanded. Out of fear, Cody complied and closed the door shut. Bridgette took several breaths. The rage that she let out began to dissipate. Leaning against the wall, she slowly slid her back against the wall until she was sitting. "Oh, God. I'm pathetic... I'm crying over a cheater, and I'm beating down one of my friends."

Cody didn't like seeing her act this way. "It's fine Bridgette. I've been through worse thanks to Chris..." His joked seemed to help, but it didn't take long for her to start sulking again.

"I uh... saw what happened in the Cafeteria today."

"You want to talk about it?"

Cody sighed once more. This was getting nowhere. Thirty minutes of silence and the occasional sob passed. The sugar from lunch was getting to him, and he was getting thirsty. Grabbing a bottle of water from his shopping bag, he took a drink. In the corner of his vision, he noticed Bridgette eyeing his bag. Reaching in again, he pulled out another bottle. "Want some water?" he asked with a raised brow.

Realizing she had been caught, she turned her head the other direction. "..."

He shook his head in irritation before a strange sound filled the closet. Cody looked around the room before the sound happened again. His eyes landed on Bridgette who scooted farther from him and turned the complete opposite direction. It dawned on him that her confrontation with Geoff happened before lunch. She probably didn't eat. Reaching into his bag once more, he pulled out a Twinkie. It wasn't much, but it would work for now. "Here." Cody got up and placed the bottle and snack cake in front of her.

Bridgette looked at the offer before glaring back at Cody. "I don't need your pity."

"I can tell you haven't eaten since breakfast."

"So? I'm fine." Her stomach betrayed her once more.

Cody gave her a deadpan look. "Just shut up and take it..." She hadn't even budged, so Cody opted to sit back down. About another ten minutes passed before he saw Bridgette reaching for the snacks.

Once Bridgette got her fill, Cody asked, "Are you done being an idiot?" asked.

"Yeah..." Bridgette muttered.

"Are you ready to talk?"

She sighed. "You're not gonna let it go, are you?"

Cody raised a brow at her. "I found you crying, and you proceeded to beat me with a broom. You know me better than to leave you like this."

"Figures..." She slumped against the wall. "As you could guess from earlier, Geoff cheated on me."

"I'm sorry to hear that..."

Bridgette sighed. "During Total Drama Action and the Aftermath show, the fame was getting to his head."

Cody nodded. "I remember. If I recall the online polls right, Geoff was more popular than you. " He received a sharp glare from the surfer. "Sorry. That's beside the point."

Ignoring that remark, Bridgette continued. "I had to deal with a bunch of Geoff's fans." She remembered the times when the two wear alone together only to be interrupted by fan girls showing up. "I thought Geoff would be different from those Hollywood types. I thought I knocked sense into his thick head up to now."

Cody held up a hand to interject. "Um, Bridgette. Please don't take this the wrong way, but isn't this similar to the whole Alejandro thing? I even remember you two in a boxing ring before making up again and making out."

Her old wounds opened up again. "I won't lie, I was seduced by Alejandro back in the Yukon. I gave in to my desires and tried to kiss the guy. I felt so guilty. I betrayed Geoff's trust. If anything, I'm thankful that it was a ruse from the start to get me eliminated."

"From what I recall, things between you two have been pretty good during Revenge of the Island and Ridonculous Race."

"Things were nice. If you recall, I was in Australia for a surfing competition. He told the world that he loved me on the first episode that season. As it continued on, I kept getting the feeling that Geoff was afraid of me."

"He was very careful about doing something that might upset you."

"I thought it was sweet at the time, but I think that his fear went deeper than I thought."

"Between the two of us, I'm considered more violent. I've hit him more times than I can count and electrocuted him on live TV. I even hit him today. Not once in our entire relationship did he ever lay a hand on me. "

Cody rubbed his temples. "I want to say that what you did were in response to him doing something dumb, but that still shouldn't justify violence in a relationship."

Tears began welling in her eyes. "He's afraid of me. I've become an abusive partner... Now I've driven him into another woman's arms." The emotional dam finally burst, and Bridgette cried once more, sobbing into her knees.

Finally understanding the situation, Cody moved to Bridgette. He was about to risk getting hit again, but if it was to help her feel better, it was worth it. At that moment, he pulled Bridgette into a hug. She continued to cry, but she bashed against him with both arms. Each hit was weaker than the last until she simply dug her face deeper into Cody's shoulder.

Bridgette slowly wrapped her arms around him, returning the hug while still tearing.

Thirty Minutes Later

Cody was leaning against the store counter with Bridgette leaning against his shoulder. Bridgette's sobs slowly stopped over the course of half an hour.

"You're not a bad person, Bridge."

Bridgette looked away from him. "Yes... I am. I suck."

Cody rolled his eyes. "Bridgette, this isn't you. This isn't the same person I met from season one."

She became more depressed. "I know. I'm worse."

'This isn't getting anywhere.' "That's not what I mean, and you know it. I'm not gonna lie, Bridgette. The impression you put on Geoff was kinda shitty."

"I know... I'm supposed to be more mature than that. Simple talks would have made all the difference."

Cody pulled Bridge to look her in the eyes. "You're not a bad person, Bridgette. A selfish person wouldn't have remorse or feel guilty about this."

She looked down. "What's the point? I've already lost Geoff, and I'll probably ruin any other relationship."

"You can change. You can be better, and you won't know if you don't try. You will have to apologize to Geoff about this, but I do recommend that you give him time. Problems like this aren't fixed overnight."

"Feel better now?" Cody stood up and extended a hand to her.

"Yeah... Yeah, I do." She accepted his hand. "Thanks, Cody. I really needed this."

Cody gave her a comforting smile. "Come on. I'll take you back to your room."

20 Minutes Later

When they finally reached her room, they learned that Geoff had taken his luggage with him. It was another shot to Bridgette's heart, and Cody told that it was all the more important to apologize to Geoff. There was little chance of them getting back together after this, but it was the right thing to do.

Cody and Bridgette said their goodbyes, and he decided to check up on the others. He's been separated from them for quite a while, and he wanted to know if he missed anything important. When he reached the lobby, he heard screams outside. Upon exiting, he saw the swimming pool tainted with green vomit. A number of contestants were trying their best to rinse themselves off at the showers. "What the hell happened?"

"It's Scott! It's all his fucking fault." scream Tyler.

Scott rolled his eyes. "I didn't do any of this." He gestured to the mess in the pool. "All I did was tell Zoey to get revenge. You saw how pathetic she was. She was eating all the ice cream." Knowing his reputation, Scott didn't earn good graces with the others.

Alejandro finished showing the bits of vomit off of him. All the victims would have to bath five times to remove the smell of vomit. "This is getting nowhere. Tyler, explain what happened, now!" he demanded.

Tyler took a deep breath to calm himself down. "Okay. Scott and I went to the roof, so I could prove to him that I could dive from there to the pool easily." There was no doubt to the others, that Scott wanted to see Tyler with broken bones in the water. Give Tyler a challenge, and he'll do for better or for worse. "When we got up there, Zoey was super depressed, eating ice cream alone. It didn't help that she was watching 'Vito' making out with Anne Maria on the other end of the roof. We tried to comfort her, but nothing helped. This whole mess started when this idiot told her to get revenge on the bitch who stole her boyfriend. For some reason, Zoey murmured something about commando mode. Hours later, she did something, and now we're covered in this shit."

Cameron gasped. "This is bad! Zoey in commando mode is unpredictable. She will stop at nothing until she achieves her goal." He still had bad memories of his season. If it had not been for Zoeys kind heart and his cries, he would have been toast.

Topher came out of the showers next and overheard the conversation. "Well, Zoey is obviously blind because those two aren't even here. Last I heard, they went somewhere private."

Shawn finished drying himself off. "We need to stop her. Anne Maria can be a bitch, but we don't need this crap. We came to have fun, not get caught in the crossfire." While some of the contestants ignored him to take another shower, Cody and the others decided to go search for her and put a stop to this.

"Considering that Vito was brought up, I take it that this has something to do with Mike's accident?" asked Cody as he ran alongside Cameron to the beach.

Cameron nodded. "It's really sad. Mike had finally overcome his multiple personalities at the end of all-stars. His relationship with Zoey was blossoming for two years. Unfortunately, when Zoey and Mike were crossing the street home one night, a drunk driver sped into them. Miraculously, Mike pushed her out of the way, but he got hit."

"Oh, god..."

"When he was taken to the hospital, he fell into a coma, and the doctors diagnosed that he had a major brain injury. He woke up a month later, but he's changed. Instead of Mike, Vito's in control. The Doctors weren't sure when or if Mike would come back. To make matters worse, Vito doesn't remember Mike or other personalities." Cameron sighed. "While I'm thankful that Mike isn't dead and Mal is still gone, it's still heartbreaking to see him like this. Zoey and I worked hard with his psychologist to bring him back, but news of this development finally spread. It wasn't long Anne Maria found out and messaged Vito online. Since then, they started dating, breaking Zoey's heart. It's so depressing after everything we've been through to help Mike." Cameron looked around once more and his eyes widened. "And now, Zoey's about to do something incredibly stupid!"

Following his gaze, he saw Zoey with some sort of Bazooka aimed at Anne Maria. "Dammit!"

Cameron started running to Vito and Anne Maria "Zoey, stop!" He turned back to see Cody running as well. "Cody, give me time to get them out of here."

"Fuck me... Cameron, you owe me big time!" Cody didn't know Zoey personally, but now was a good a time as any. 'God, have mercy...' With as much courage as he could muster, Cody ran to Zoey and tackled her down.

"Get out of my way scrawny!" Commando Zoey growled with a serious voice.

"I get that you want to split them up but really? Is this really the answer? This isn't even including that mess you caused at the pool. You need to stop this, now." Looking the other way, Cody saw Cameron trying, in vain, to move Vito and Anne Maria.

"Unless you're going to help me, then back off." Zoey knocked Cody off of her and prepared the bazooka. The weapon was ready, a part of her hesitated.

"Will you quit acting stupid?" Shouted Cody. "Is this what you want?"

"Leave me alone!"

He needed to take a chance. "Fine! Go ahead. Do it! Just remember that attacking her won't get you any closer to bringing back Mike."

Zoey remained silent. He finger wavered on the trigger.

Cody slowly crept toward her. "It doesn't need to be like this. Have faith that you will find Mike. Don't lose hope. What would Mike have wanted?"

Seconds passed before, Zoey dropped the weapon. Turning around, Zoey kneed Cody in the stomach. "I hate how you're right."

"Cody!" Cameron ran to them, seeing that the danger passed.

Zoey glared at Cody on the ground. "What do you know about love? I'm pretty sure you've never been in a relationship. What gives you the right to judge me?" Silence filled the air.

Cody sat up and looked at the ground. "You're right. I've never been in a relationship before. I've been a wallflower for a long time. I've seen relationships rise and fall. I know people and their situations. In fact, I envied the relationship you had with Mike. Since the day you two met, it was like a match in Heaven. It may have had a rocky start because of Mikes personalities, but you stuck with each other through thick and thin. I've tried looking for love for a long time with one failure after another. I may grow up to be some forty-year-old virgin. You, on the other hand, had something special. You have such happy memories with Mike. By hurting her, you're throwing away everything Mike loved about you. Don't give up. Mike will come back eventually."

Zoey doesn't say anything. Cody holds his stomach with the lingering pain. Finally, Zoey pulls Cody to his feet before giving him a quick hug. "I'm sorry... for all of this."

"We're human. We make mistakes." Cody tried to laugh off the pain.

Cameron approached the two. "Zoey! Cody!"

Zoey hugged Cam. "I'm so sorry for going commando again, Cameron. I hate how I gave into Scott's temptations."

"Thank goodness that's all over. Anyways, I have good news. While doing some research the other day, I found that there is still the possibility of bringing Mike back. We just wait for the internal inflammation to subside. Once the blood begins circulating normally, it should be easier to tap into the inner working of his brain. From there, we can work to bring him back."

His words invigorated the hope inside her. Zoey wiped away the dry tears and black paint off her face

Zoey looked at Cody. "I hope I didn't hurt you too badly."

Of course, it hurt like hell. Commando mode wasn't something to mess with. Cody faked a smile to ease her worries. The three started to walk back to the hotel. "Where from did you get a vomit bazooka, anyway?"

"I found it in chef's vault. There were a lot of stink bombs, bird guns, and what not," she replied.

"Hey, Cody, you wanna add Zoey to our Discord server?" asked Cam. "Even is she doesn't want to join our games, it's still nice to talk to her."

"I don't mind. Besides, if we're on a losing streak, I'm sure Commando Zoey would carry us," he joked.

All three of them laughed.

Cam smiled. "Cool. I'll add you to the server later."

"Cody Emmett Jameson Anderson."

The three stopped in their tracks.

'Oh, god...' Cody recognized that voice, and there was only one person who told his full name, besides his angry mother. He sighed. "You two, go on without me. I'll see you guys, later." Cameron and Zoey walked on, and Cody turned to the voice. "It's been a while. Nice to see you, Sierra." Cody was very nervous, Sierra was so unpredictable. 'Fuck, what do I now?' If things were like before, his vacation would be ruined.

Sierra slowly walked in front of Cody with a soft smile and gave him a quick hug; however, it was drastically different from those that came before. It was gentle and sincere. "I am so so sorry."

Cody stared at the girl in front of him with a dumbfounded expression. 'What's going on?'


End file.
